The University Senate
of Michigan Technological University
There was a request to revisit Proposal 32-15
“Establishment of a Library Liaisons and a Library Advisory
Committee” which was passed by the University Senate on
March 18, 2015 and returned by the administration with
revisions. The proposal was referred to RPC on September
9, 2015. Discussion.
Minutes of Meeting 573
3 February 2016
Synopsis:
The Senate
•
Proposal 9-16: Reducing Deductibles and Out of
Pocket Maximums on Michigan Tech's
Healthcare-Insurance Plans passed
•
Proposal 10-16: Rationalization of Senate
Procedures on the Selection/Election of
Membership of Various Committees passed
•
Proposal 11-16: Amending Senate Procedure
503.1.1, Evaluation Procedure for the President
passed
•
Proposal on the formation of a Senate ad-hoc
committee to review the Senate Constitution and
Bylaws passed
•
The Senate Self-Evaluation will be postponed until
next year.
1. Call to order and roll call. [00:00 – 02:20]
President Brian Barkdoll called the University Senate
Meeting 573 to order at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, February
3, 2016. The Senate Secretary Marty Thompson called roll.
Absent were Senators Stancher, Oliveira and Cai and
representatives of Army/Air Force ROTC, Biological
Sciences, Engineering Fundamentals, Geological and
Mining Engineering and Sciences, Kinesiology and
Integrative Physiology, Materials Science and Engineering,
Academic Services B, Auxiliaries, Technology and
Undergraduate Student Government.
Forum on Fringe Benefits will be held on April 5th from
12pm to 3pm in Dow 642.
Survey of the University President will be open on
Tuesday, February 9th.
Barkdoll asked the senate if proposals passed by the
Senate should be announced in Tech Today to promote the
Senate’s work and enhance policy awareness. Discussion.
7. Reports from Senate Standing Committees [47:35 –
54:57]
Academic and Instructional Policy Committee.
The
committee chair, Nooshabadi, informed the senate about the
procedural details regarding the survey of the university
president.
Administrative Policy Committee.
Curricular Policy Committee.
Finance
&
4. Approval of minutes from Meeting 572. [04:12 – 04:55]
Schmierer moved to approve. Weir seconded. The minutes
passed unanimously on a voice vote.
General
Institutional
Education
None.
None.
None.
Fringe Benefits Committee.
3. Approval of agenda. [02:21 – 04:11]
Barkdoll moved to remove item #5.b. from the agenda. Weir
seconded. The revision passed unanimously on a voice
vote.
Brown moved to approve of the revised agenda. Wanless
seconded. The revised agenda passed unanimously on a
voice vote.
Minutes 573
Forum on University Finances will be held February 4th
from 11am to 2pm in Dow 642.
Elections Committee.
2. Recognition of visitors. Guests included Theresa
Coleman-Kaiser (Administration), Anne Beffel (Visual and
Performing Arts), Ellen Marks (Library), Ginger Sleeman
(Human Resources) and Bruce Seely (College of Science
and Arts).
5. Presentation: Report on the Library by Ellen Marks
[04:56 – 44:34]
Marks, Director of the Library, [presentation] [handout]
discussed the budget for collections and the inflationary
rate of journal costs.
6. President’s Report [44:35 – 47:34]
President Brian Barkdoll described the rationale for
introducing a code of conduct. This code will be reviewed
by the senate executive committee for senate
consideration.
and
Planning
Committee.
None.
None.
Assessment Committee.
None.
Information Technology Committee.
None.
Professional Staff Policy Committee.
None.
Research Policy Committee.
None.
8. Unfinished Business [54:58 – 1:49:59]
a. Proposal 7-16: Amending the Senate Procedure
506.1.1, Evaluation Procedure for Department Chairs
and School Deans
Neves moved to amend ‘Section II. Frequency of Review’.
Wanless seconded. Discussion. The amendment passed
by majority vote.
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03 February 2016
Nooshabadi moved to amend ‘Section II. Frequency of
Review’. Froese seconded. No discussion. The amendment
passed by unanimous vote.
address comments solicited from the Senate
Constituency. The Committee will submit to the
Senate a report or recommendations for action by
April 6th.
Members: 1) Robert Froese; 2) Jacob Guter; 3)
Sarah Lucchesi; 4) Martin Thompson 5) David
Wanless
The new wording of ‘Section II. Frequency of Review’ is as
follows:
II. Frequency of Review
The term of appointment for a department
chair/school dean is three years. A reappointment
review will take place in the third year of each term
of appointment, and will be initiated within the first
seven weeks of the fall semester. The evaluation
process may also be initiated by the college
dean/provost or by the entire unit constituency (by
a simple majority vote) at any time earlier, but not
more than once an academic year. Evaluations
may not be initiated by faculty during the first year
by a two-thirds majority vote.
The changes are substantial. The proposal will appear as
unfinished business next meeting.
b. Proposal 9-16: Reducing Deductibles and Out of
Pocket Maximums on Michigan Tech's HealthcareInsurance Plans
Waddell, Fringe Benefit Committee, described the rationale
for the proposal. He moved to approve the proposal. No
discussion. The proposal passed by majority vote.
c. Proposal 10-16: Rationalization of Senate Procedures
on the Selection/Election of Membership of Various
Committees
Nooshabadi, Administrative Policy Committee, moved to
approve the proposal. No discussion. The proposal passed
by unanimous vote.
d. Proposal 11-16: Amending Senate Procedure 503.1.1,
Evaluation Procedure for the President
Nooshabadi, Administrative Policy Committee, moved to
approve the proposal. Discussion. The proposal passed by
unanimous vote.
Discussion. The proposal passed by majority vote.
f. Senate Self-Evaluation
Nooshabadi moved to postpone the next senate selfevaluation in order to design an effective survey. Wellstead
seconded. Discussion. The motion passed by majority
vote.
9. New Business [1:50:00 – 1:50:58]
Proposal 12-16: Proposal to Shelve Certificate Program:
Certificate in Chinese Area Studies, Proposal 13-16:
Proposal to Shelve Certificate Program: Certificate in
Media, Proposal 14-16: Proposal to Shelve Certificate
Program: Certificate in Modern Language and Proposal
15-16: Proposal to Shelve Certificate Program:
Certificate in Writing
The Curricular Policy Committee co-introduced Proposals
12-16 through 16-16, which are proposals to shelve
certificate programs.
10. Public Comments [1:50:59 – 1:57:19]
Anne Beffel (Visual and Performing Arts) commented on
Proposal 7-16.
11. Adjournment
Wanless moved to adjourn. Froese seconded. President
Barkdoll adjourned the meeting at 7:27 pm.
Respectfully submitted
by Marty Thompson
Secretary of the University Senate
e. Proposal on the formation of a Senate ad-hoc
committee to review the Senate Constitution and
Bylaws
Nooshabadi moved to approve a proposal on the formation
of a senate ad-hoc committee with the purpose of reviewing
the Senate Constitution and Bylaws. Froese seconded. The
exact text is as follows:
The ad hoc committee is charged with reviewing
the Constitution and Bylaws and making
recommendations about changes to (1) bring the
governing documents in compliance with current
University practice; (2) ensure the governing
documents are consistent with Robert’s Rules, or
where the documents need to take preference,
function complementarily; (3) resolve ambiguity
and improve clarity and consistency; and, (4)
Minutes 573
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03 February 2016